ASUS P5B-Plus MB and 45 nm INTEL CORE 2 processors

[waldo0]

Hello,

I am an overclocking layman and I have a couple of questions about my ASUS P5B-Plus Vista Edition MB which I have had for maybe one and a half year. I wonder if you could help.

I am tempted by the idea of installing an INTEL Core 2 QUAD 45 nm processor which I am afraid runs only at 1333 MHz FSB frequency. Now I am buying two 1MB sticks of 667 MHz memory to add to the already present in my motherboard two 667 MHz 512 MB memory modules. All chips will have the same CAS latency, which is 5, and will be from the same manufacturer (KINGSTON).
The only question I have is whether this configuration will work seamlessly and what should I do in order to get it working (BIOS upgrades etc.).

Also, I use the 32-bit WINDOWS VISTA.

 

[elconejito]

Well, with that memory, I don't think you're going to have any overclocking room. I think it might be cheaper to just get a new set of RAM like a 2GB or 4GB kit and replace (not add to) the RAM you have. I do have a WARNING for you though... The P5B-Deluxe won't run 2GB sticks of RAM at over 800mhz, and I'm going to make an assumption (I know, I know, but I think it's OK in this case) that the P5B-Plus is in the same boat. So you'd be limited to 2x1GB (total of 2GB) for 4x1GB (total of 4GB) if you want to overclock with this new ram (2GB kits can be had for less than $30).

For the CPU, just check on Asus' website and see if it's on the compatible list, and which BIOS version supports it.

 

[waldo0]

elconejito, you suggest using 4 GB memory, but I have a 32-bit operating system, which will barely see more than 3 GB of it. Thus the combination of a pair of 1 GB modules and a pair of 512 MB modules seems to be the best for me given that I already have the 512 MB modules.

I should have also made myself clear. I don't want to overclock anything. I know, the P5B-Plus FSB frequency is 1066 MHz, so the support for 1333 MHz 45 nm Core 2 Quad units is done basically through overclocking, but I hope it is done somehow programmatically and a layman like me will not have to tinker with BIOS settings.

I just wonder if anyone has successfully tested the configuration with a 1333 MHz 45 nm Intel unit and 677 MHz RAM on an ASUS P5B-Plus motherboard. The BIOSes for this are still in beta version.

 

[ghost recon88]

Your mobo supports all the latest quads with the latest BIOS

Also I suggest getting faster RAM (800MHz or faster) as your 667MHz RAM is going to run out of juice considering the CPU FSB is 1333MHz to start with, and will leave your RAM with zero overclocking headroom.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: waldo0
I just wonder if anyone has successfully tested the configuration with a 1333 MHz 45 nm Intel unit and 677 MHz RAM on an ASUS P5B-Plus motherboard. The BIOSes for this are still in beta version.

And are still buggy. A number of users have reported problematic results running 45nm processors on ASUS Commando, P5B Deluxe (also WiFi-AP version), and other P965 boards, particularly memory configuration bugs. ASUS has provided some users with an unreleased BETA BIOS that seems to fix many (though not all) of the problems.

I haven't followed the status of these reports since November, but a quick check of the BIOS history for P5B-Plus does not show any newer BIOS releases. I'm not certain P5B-Plus was even affected by the same issues, but given that multiple P965 models were affected by very similar (if not identical) quirks, it would be unlikely for P5B-Plus to have escaped them.

See:

E8500 and memory problem (P5B Deluxe)

P5B DLX and E8600 E0 (P5B Deluxe Wifi-AP)

Need BIOS for E8600 (Commando)

 

[elconejito]

Originally posted by: waldo0
elconejito, you suggest using 4 GB memory, but I have a 32-bit operating system, which will barely see more than 3 GB of it. Thus the combination of a pair of 1 GB modules and a pair of 512 MB modules seems to be the best for me given that I already have the 512 MB modules.

I should have also made myself clear. I don't want to overclock anything. I know, the P5B-Plus FSB frequency is 1066 MHz, so the support for 1333 MHz 45 nm Core 2 Quad units is done basically through overclocking, but I hope it is done somehow programmatically and a layman like me will not have to tinker with BIOS settings.

I just wonder if anyone has successfully tested the configuration with a 1333 MHz 45 nm Intel unit and 677 MHz RAM on an ASUS P5B-Plus motherboard. The BIOSes for this are still in beta version.

I assumed you were going to overclock because your first sentence starts with "I am an overclocking layman"...

I suggested the 4GB setup for a couple of reasons. RAM is so cheap you can get 800MHZ 4GB for next to nothing and it would run faster than your current setup of 667Mhz RAM. If you're using applications that need 3GB worth of RAM, I figure an extra 1/4 or 1/2 GB of RAM would be helpful (especially since the cost is so low). Since I thought you were overclocking, this would have given you some room to overclock that the 667Mhz couldn't give (even with the limitation I mentioned above).

I wish I could answer your question though. I had the Q6600 (e6300 before that) running on the P5B-Deluxe, but never a 45nm chip.